Comparison

Fugue Machine Rubato vs SPHERE Connect 2

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Fugue Machine Rubato

This app offers a unique musical canvas for creating and manipulating MIDI sequences. It features a nonlinear time engine that allows for expressive acceleration, deceleration, and directional changes of playheads, along with robust parameter automation for notes and other elements.

Highlights
  • Time-bending playheads
  • Parameter automation
  • Nonlinear time engine
  • Sculpt envelopes with curves
  • Up to eight playheads
  • Per-playhead note echoes
  • Multiple MIDI outputs
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Bend time. Automate notes. A single grid as a multi-dimensional musical canvas — for iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Fugue Machine Rubato dives deeper into the multi-playhead piano roll concept of Fugue Machine Classic by adding time-bending playheads, parameter automation, and much more. At the heart of the sequencer is a nonlinear time engine that lets playheads move with a natural — or surreal — feel. Unlike conventional sequencers, where time advances at a constant rate, time in this engine can expressively accelerate, decelerate, freeze, and change direction. Playheads are now free to swing, strum, bounce, move elastically, and more. Built upon the time engine is a robust parameter automation system with time-bending automation playheads and envelopes sculpted with points, curves, and shapes. Nearly everything can be automated — even the notes. Eight years in the making, Fugue Machine Rubato is rock-solid and absolutely packed with features. HIGHLIGHTS • Bend time with curves, rates, and offsets • Automate notes and nearly everything else • Sculpt envelopes with curves and shapes • Position playheads anywhere on the grid • Play up to eight playheads at once • Apply note echoes per-playhead • Arpeggiate notes from multiple playheads • Blend notes from multiple playheads • Offset, stack, spread, and invert pitches • Clamp, compress, and expand velocities • Program drums via per-note Drum Trigs • Route notes to up to eight MIDI outputs • Organize patterns in nestable folders • Launch patterns quantized to the beat • Revert state via auto-saved Snapshots • Learn contextually via popovers • Explore ~150 built-in patterns • Control via touch, keyboard, and cursor • Resize Mac window at native resolution COMPATIBILITY Fugue Machine Rubato supports iPad, iPhone, Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon), Ableton Link, MIDI, and AUv3* MIDI. With the included AUv3 MIDI plugin, you can run multiple instances of Fugue Machine Rubato within AUv3 host apps — like AUM, Logic Pro for iPad, Loopy Pro, and Cubasis. UNIVERSAL APP — ONE-TIME PURCHASE Pay once and use on iPad, iPhone, and Mac. LEARN MORE — TRY A FREE DEMO To learn more or try a free demo via TestFlight, visit fuguemachinerubato.com.

About

SPHERE Connect 2

Features
Read full description

Sphere Connect 2 is free to download and use. It is the companion remote control app for Ginger Audio Sphere immersive monitoring systems. Control your Sphere sessions directly from your iPhone or iPad with real-time access to monitoring controls, session status, and immersive audio workflows. Designed for professional studios, post-production facilities, and immersive audio environments, Sphere Connect 2 provides convenient wireless control while maintaining the precision required for professional monitoring. A Ginger Audio application for Sphere users

Screenshots

Fugue Machine Rubato4 screens
SPHERE Connect 23 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SPHERE Connect 2 at Free against Fugue Machine Rubato's $39.99. SPHERE Connect 2 also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Fugue Machine Rubato's advantage is chart position (#196 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

SPHERE Connect 2 is free to download; Fugue Machine Rubato costs $39.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Fugue Machine Rubato versus SPHERE Connect 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFugue Machine RubatoSPHERE Connect 2
Price$39.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (71 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews74.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings71 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#196 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexandernautGinger Audio Technology Ltd.

Bugs and requests

Fugue Machine Rubato

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Doesn't work with Logic Pro
  • Compatibility issues with older macOS versions

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add a parameter randomizer feature
  • Improve documentation and provide a complete manual

SPHERE Connect 2

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Fugue Machine Rubato

No in-app purchases

None

SPHERE Connect 2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fugue Machine Rubato free?
Fugue Machine Rubato costs $39.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SPHERE Connect 2 free?
SPHERE Connect 2 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Fugue Machine Rubato or SPHERE Connect 2 have ads?
Neither Fugue Machine Rubato nor SPHERE Connect 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fugue Machine Rubato or SPHERE Connect 2?
Fugue Machine Rubato ships an update weekly, and SPHERE Connect 2 weekly. Most recently, Fugue Machine Rubato was updated on November 4, 2026 and SPHERE Connect 2 on October 31, 2026.

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